This weekend was the annual Kakuozan Summer Festival - a recent arts, crafts and food festival set up to boost trade and business in this trendy, arty part of Nagoya west of Motoyama.

Set up on the street just west of exit 1 of Kakuozan subway station leading to Nitaiji Temple, the festival has a small stage for local music acts featuring dad rock to taiko drums and lots of stalls selling food and local crafts.

We sampled an excellent curry and some French red wine at Mercure (tel: 052 761 9881) - a fromagerie halfway up the street on the left.

A brief but violent thunderstorm had everyone diving for shelter, but it soon cleared to allow the festival and the dad rock and beer drinking to continue on what was a very, very hot and humid day. Kakuozan Summer Festival takes place on the last Saturday and Sunday of July from noon to 7pm.

Kakuozan is on the Higashiyama Line, one stop west of Motoyama. Kakuozan also stages spring and autumn festivals.